What’s in a Name? Na-Dež-Da

By Nadezhda (Na-Dež-Da) Lyra

Nadezhda LyraFrom Mirror Muse Imagery

In early 2007, I immigrated to Canada without much more than a suitcase and a smile. I suppose it would be fair to say that all I had to my name was… well, my name!
As my command of the English language improved so did my respect for the culture. I arrived knowing I’d have to adapt were I to survive, but that in itself just wouldn’t do. I’m a woman of passion, infused with divine inspiration and hunger to thrive!
Aside from a good name, I carried with me a treasured keepsake; my grandfather’s vintage Zenit-S film camera. With modeling being an outlet for my natural expression, I’ve come to embrace photography as my calling in this beautiful country I now proudly call Home!
Important to note is that my creative as an artist reflects my values as a woman, ever aspiring toward a deeper spiritual resonance. My earnest desire being to help empower my sisters, giving voice to those who struggle to speak for themselves.
Due to bullying throughout school, I’ve struggled with self-worth issues for most of my adult life. Only after I challenged myself to a personal project in self-portraiture, I managed to turn my insecurities into strengths. What ensued became a gallery of poetically justified imagery upon my road to self-discovery.

My name is Nadezhda, pronounced “Na-Dež-Da” ~ Russian for Hope

As I emerged from behind the veil, so grew the woman from the child within. Capturing my ‘flaws’ each week from every conceivable angle gave me a deeper appreciation for real beauty, which can only emanate from within. A woman’s value isn’t found in the attractiveness of her features alone, rather in those unswept places of her heart.
It isn’t lost on me that most of my clients tend to become acquaintances, even friends. My process as an artist is to delve into the subcutaneous, to capture the very essence of a divine soul… drawing forth the magic within us all.
When my subjects let me in, allowing me to illuminate them in the mirror of my lens, I cannot express just how often cathartic tears of joy are shed on both sides. A common gushing reaction would be, “If I have never imagined I would not have seen myself this beautiful!”
My mission is simple: Helping empower women to embrace their inner beauty, becoming emboldened with the confidence to say, “World, Here I Am!”